At a glance Expert’s Rating Pros Reveals what happens on your network Detailed control over devices and internet access No subscription required Cons Relatively expensive Requires some networking knowledge to setup and use Our Verdict The Firewalla Purple is a great gadget for anyone who cares about security and wants to protect and control devices on their home network. It provides great insight into the inner workings of your network and the fact it doesn’t require a subscription is refreshing....

At a Glance Expert’s Rating Our Verdict The Fitbit Force is a big, ahem, step up from the Flex, although it’s also somewhat bigger itself. The much-more informative display means you can ditch your watch and inspect your smartphone app less for up-to-date activity data. The altimeter that counts stair steps and longer battery life are also welcome. The Force has better functions than most competing fitness wristbands, such as the new Nike FuelBand SE....

At a Glance Expert’s Rating Pros Smart Simple Construction 4 height presets USB power ports Cons Glass top can attract fingerprints Our Verdict The Flexispot EG8 Standing Desk is a simple-to-Construct standing desk with tempered glass desktop, USB ports and a handy storage drawer. Best Prices Today: Flexispot EG8 A standing desk is a great way to get out of your chair, straighten your back, and get to work. Sitting down, it seems, is just too good to be true, and can increase your risk of premature death and some chronic diseases by up to 20%....

Gamescom 2021 kicks off later today, and fans should expect a swathe of big game announcements across the three-day event from the likes of Microsoft, Bethesda, Activision, Ubisoft and many more. While some are disappointed that the organisers had to scrap the hybrid event, which was due to be a combination of in-person and virtual events, there should be more for fans to get involved with this time around. Here, we outline everything you need to know about Gamescom 2021 including event timings, confirmed publishers and the confirmed livestream schedule too....

At a Glance Our Verdict We are really, really impressed by this smartwatch. It offers a huge array of features in a compact, comfortable and practical package that will meet the needs of most athletes, whether amateur or professional. And for just over £200, we think it’s a bit of a bargain, particularly when you Consider that it offers GPS, notifications and an app store for adding yet more tools and features when you need them....

Samsung’s cordless cleaners are some of the most powerful around. They’re light, have strong suction and features including 40-60 minutes of cleaning time, a swappable battery, a telescopic wand, HEPA filter and some brilliant cleaning attachments. If you head over to the Samsung website, there are four models included in the deal: the Jet 70 Turbo (down to £329), the Jet 90 Pet (now £499), the Jet 75 Pet (down to £429) and the Jet 70 Pet (now just £349)....

Here’s how the coffee capsule subscription service works. Choose your coffee machine Visit the Lavazza website and the first step is to choose the capsule coffee machine you’d like. There are seven options, including the Smeg Lavazza collaboration: the beautiful Lavazza A Modo Mio Smeg, which usually costs £199 or more and which can be yours for £1, plus the subscription. Our other top picks among the machines on offer would be the Desea and, of course, the Voicy....

Fantasy RPG Godfall was the first game to be confirmed for the PlayStation 5 back in 2019, and we got a better look at gameplay during Sony’s PS5 game reveal in June 2020. Interest is understandably high as a result, but Counterplay Games will be keen for it to have a lasting positive impact. The company has secured external funding as they look to gain triple-A status for Godfall, which should help to avoid the financial issues suffered by launching previous game Duelyst through a Kickstarter campaign....

In summary More Google battery issues, this time with the Pixel 7 Users reporting expanding batteries Could start to be a particular issue from Pixel 8 onwards After the Pixel 6a and Pixel 4 experienced embarrassing, annoying, and downright concerning battery swelling issues, it’s the turn of the Pixel 7 range to come under the microscope. It has emerged (via PiunikaWeb ) that owners of both the Google Pixel 7 and the Google Pixel 7 Pro smartphones have been taking to Google’s support forums to report swollen batteries....

As part of Google’s September ‘Launch Night In’ hardware event, the long-rumoured Pixel 5 finally made its official appearance. Here’s everything you need to know, including price, specs and more. If you’ve been following the Pixel’s story of late, Google is under pressure to ensure the Pixel 5 is a hit after last year’s Pixel 4 was blighted by poor battery life and an uninspiring design. Google is in a unique position as the developer of Android, making it the only company that can truly rival Apple for synergy between hardware and software....

Google took to the stage on 4 October to show off its new laptop, the Google Pixelbook. It was announced alongside new Pixel phones , a Google Home Mini and a Google Home Max . Google’s Chromebook Pixel has been revamped, now a high-end convertible laptop that is set to rival Microsoft’s Surface Book and Apple’s MacBook. The Pixelbook is a thin and light laptop that runs Chrome OS and can be folded and used as a tablet....

Google’s upcoming Tensor G5 chipset might mark a significant shift in the company’s approach to mobile silicon. Having relied on Samsung’s Exynos architecture and fabrication processes since the launch of the first Tensor, Google is likely to finally produce a fully in-house designed chip, manufactured by TSMC. Here’s everything we know so far. When will the Google Tensor G5 launch? The Google Tensor G5 is expected to debut with the Pixel 10 series , likely to launch in late 2025....

How often do you clean your washing machine? If you don’t want to answer that question, Haier’s ABT (antibacterial treatment) may be just the thing for you. Bacteria thrive in warm, wet environments – exactly like those in a washing machine or dishwasher. While some of these bacteria are harmless, some are actively harmful, such as E Coli and Staphylococcus Aureus. There are spots in the washing machine that are most likely to harbour bacteria: the gasket (the rubber seal around the door) and the detergent drawer....

At a glance Expert’s Rating Our Verdict Justin Tipping’s HIM takes the American football industry to task with style. Though some might find its occasional hamfisted nature cloying, the film lays it on thick with intention. Otherwise, there’s very, very little to find fault with in this Jordan Peele-produced horror flick. “As your doctor, I cannot recommend you compete.” “And as a fan?” This line of dialogue near the start of Justin Tipping’s HIM immediately nails the toxicity of American football, perfectly setting the stage for what’s to come in the Jordan Peele produced sports horror....

Honor Magic 8: In summary Honor’s next generation of flagship phones Magic 8 and 8 Pro are now official in China Magic 8 Ultra and Mini potentially to come Global launch expected in 2026, but may not include all models Key specs include Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 and dedicated AI button Chinese brand Honor has started entering the conversation as a flagship phone maker in recent years. With phones like the Honor Magic 7 Pro and the Honor Magic V5 , it has produced handse that are capable of standing toe to toe with anything from Samsung or Google....

The Oculus Quest 2 is a great VR headset, and thanks to regular software updates, it keeps getting better. In fact, the Oculus Quest 2 software looks near unrecognisable compared to the software it shipped with back in 2020, with a range of new features and UI tweaks rolled out to the headset to improve the experience and functionality over time. That makes Oculus Quest 2 software updates fairly important – so how can you make sure you’re running the latest software?...

During the coronavirus pandemic, one particular type of device has perhaps been more in-demand than any other – the laptop. Supply chain issues at the beginning of lockdown have given way to a general feeling that these devices are almost indispensable. Millions of people have relied on them to work from home, in addition to their existing uses for communication, shopping and content consumption/creation. However, this regular demand for new technology is at odds with the other pressing global threat – climate change....

Keeping your PC and data safe is obviously very important. It’s somewhat bewildering then that many people use the same password on every account, and in the vast majority of cases these cryptic codes are actually anything but. Research conducted last year showed that some of the most popular passwords in use across the world were 123456 , password , and qwerty , none of which would take an enterprising hacker more than about ten seconds to crack....

Choosing the right broadband deal can be tricky. You have to factor in more than the monthly price. What speeds will you get? Is anything else included in the deal such as a phone line or TV service? Does it include hardware such as a mesh Wi-Fi system and does the enticing introductory price rise significantly after a few months? To help you make the most of your money, here’s our guide to things you should look for in a broadband package (and provider) when choosing....

If you’ve switched to an induction hob or are thinking of doing so, you’ll need to use slightly different methods to maintain it. The biggest risk to an induction hob from cleaning is scratching it, so your cleaning techniques should be gentle, focusing on maintaining the integrity of the surface. If you scratch the glass, food can become embedded in the scratches and when covered with a hot pan, can further damage the glass and potentially create cracks....